The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-05-19
KERNsTowN OR WINCHESTER.

As frequently happened in the fights Of the
civil war, the Confederates designated the bat
tie of March % by one name, the FederaIs by
another In the north 1t Is known as the bat
tie Of Winchester, In the south as the battle
of Kernstown.
Shields, to deceive jackson, concealed
most OF his division In an out of the way spot
two miles from Winchester. A small guard
was left In that village. March % Turner
Ashby's cavalry came galloping into Win
chester In pursuit of Shields. They drove
back his pickets. Apparently there was only
. small rear guard Of Union troops at Win
chester. There was sharp attack, which
was repelled by the Federals, but the much
SCARED veteran Shields was wounded again;
q fragment of shell broke his arm.
Gen. Banks had remained with Shields
division up to this time. But the morning OF
March o, feeling certain that Stonewau
jackson would not attack, he started to
Washington. Shields thought differently,
however, and with his broken arm in q sling
made ready for the battle OF Winchester.
At o'clock jackson came up with his
whole force, colors flying. he stopped at
Kernstown, three miles south Of Winchester.
Ashby had encamped there with his cavalry
after the skirrnish of the day before. Shields
force was upon q ridge not far from Kerns-
town, though jackson did not know how
large it was. His men were wearied out with
marching, but he ordered an immediate and
hot attack on Shields right upon the ridge
near Kernstown. He hoped to sever Shields
line and cut him of from Winchester.
Jackson,s men charged up the ridge with
nth Uf0OFOFIa
artillery fire. Shields managed to hold the
Confederates of till he had brought his re-
serves into line; then he attacked with his
whole force.
There was fierce fight Of three hours. and
then the battle Of Winchester or Kernstown
was over. Stonewan jackson was defeated.
He lost two guns and 700 men in killed,
wounded and prisoners. Shields lost 5A &C
cording TO the record
Next day the citizens Of Winchester, headed
| by the mayor, came out to bury the Con-
| federate dead who had been lying where they
| feIl upon the bloody field A deep, wide pit
| was dug, and there In ono common grave.
several hundred dead men In gray were
| buried. Tbs southern writer, Pollard, says:
Scarcely q family In the country but had q
| relative there"
Banks returned at once from Washington
1 and set on in pursuit OF Jackson, who had re-
| treated rapidly, leaving dead and wounded
behind Banks pursued thirty miles, till his
| men were too exhausted to go farther. He
/ stopped at Woodstock to rest. jackson con-
| tinued retreatinR till he came TO Harrison
burg, where he remained till April 10, en-
deavoring TO recover himself after the battle
/ OF KTns5own.
It was q severe Confederate defeat al
| Kernstown- But there was no loss Of enthu-
| siasm for jackson among his wearied and
| fleeing men
GWhy Is old Jack better general thar
| Mosesf asked one Of his soldiers, conundruIr
| fashion. Answer: Because &c took Moses
| forty years to lead the Lsraelites through the
| wilderness, and Old Jack would have double
! quicked them through In three days
| April 10 jackson crossed the south fork d
| the Shenandoah He was thus within eaE
reach Of Johnston ct GoFdouzvilla.